Ratchet adapters for socket wrenches



Dec. 11, 1956 E, T, ABLE 2,773,574

RATCHET ADAPTERS FOR SOCKET WRENCHES Filed March 8. 1954 IN V EN TOR.

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2,713,574 RATCHET ADAPTERS FoR socKEr wRENcHEs,

Edward T. Able, Denver, Colo., assignor to B. K. Sweeney Mfg. Co., Denver, Colo., a corporation of lColorado Application March s, 1954,'serial No; 414,564

s claims. (c1. 192 4s.1)

This invention relates to a ratchet adapter forsocket wrenches, and has for its principal object the provision yof a simple and highly eflicient device which can bepositioned between a socket wrench and the work-receiving socket thereof to provide either a locked or a right'or'left ratcheting movement therebetween. A

`Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can be quickly and easily adjusted to any of three operating positions while in use; which will securely retain itself in the adjusted position; and which,

when in the locked position, will present maximum strength to torque strains.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description ofthe invention, l

reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved socket wrenchA adapter;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section therethrough,I looking downwardly on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

principal parts, a housing 10, a shifting collar 11, and a socket sleeve 12. Each of these members is preferablyA provided with an encircling knurledband 13 to .facilitate finger gripping.

The housing has an invertedl cup shape havinga closed top and an open bottom. A concentric,non''cirL i cular, usually square, wrench stud 14 is formed onthe closed extremity of the housing, and is provided with the usualv click plunger 15 actuated by a spring 39 for re' taining the adapter in place -in a conventional socket wrench.

The housing 10 is formed with an internal, annular band of ratchet teeth 16.' The ,ratchet teeth 16-are of the double-acting form, that is, both sides' offeach tooth are inclined similarly and substantially at right angles to each other. The housing is also provided, adjacentts open extremity, with a ring groove 17 to receive a split steel snap ringl. l ,I

Ihe 'sleeve 12 'isformedwith anon-circular socket'19,` usually square, in its outer extremity to receive the usual stud of a work-receiving socket of a conventional socket wrench. The socket 19 is internally grooved, as indicated at 20, to receive the click plunger with which the studs of conventional work-receiving sockets are provided. The upper extremity of the socket sleeve 12 is projected 2,773,574 Patented Dec. 11, 1956 ICC -' to form a tubular bearing portion 21 which rides in an annular bearing seat 22 formed in the head of the housing 10. f

The socket sleeve 12 is provided with an annular enlargement or rim 23 -which'is positioned in closely spaced relation to the ratchet teeth 16 and extends upwardly from the latter to bear against a thrust bearing shoulder 24 in the housing 10. The enlargement or rim 23 has a plurality, preferably four, of longitudinally milled, equally spaced pawl cavities. Each cavity consists of a semicylindrical pawl shaft bearing portion 25, a triangular pawl swinging portion 26, and a spring socket 27.

A cylindrical pawl shaft 29 is positioned in the pawl shaft bearing portion 25 of each cavity and a at, rectangular pawl 28 is formed on and Vprojects radially from each pawlshaft 29 into the pawl swinging portion 26 of each cavity. The free extremity of each ot' the pawls 28` is constantly urged outwardly into engagement with the ratchet teeth 16 by means of a conical compression spring 30 seated in the spring socket 27 of the cavity. The cavities are so formed that each pawl 28 will extend in a direction tangentially opposite to its two adjacent pawls and opposite "pawls will extend in the same tangential direction. Thus, two of the pawls, as shown at the upper left andlower right in Fig. 4 will be right-handed and the remaining two left-handed. The pawls 28 and their pawl shafts 29 have a greater length than the 'width of thel rin123-,so that they extend .from the thrust shoulder 24 and project below the rim 23.

The shifting collar 11 is formed with an enlarged hubportion 32 on its inner extremity which is positioned within the two arcuate, oppositely-positioned, pawl-shifting llanges 31 are formed on and project upwardly from the hub-portion 32. Each of the anges 31 has an arcuate length substantially equal to the distance between adjacent pawl shafts 29 and the ilanges are positioned diametrically opposite each other. The projecting portions 4l) Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section therethrough, taken on the ianges 31 when the collar 11 s rotated. The anges 31 bear against the rim 23 of the socket sleeve 12 so as to retain the latter in place in the housing. The shifting collar 11 is retained in place in the housing by means of the snap ring 18 against whichthe hub-portion 32 bears.

It can be seen that if the shifting collar 11 is in an intermediate position, as shown in Fig. 4, all of the pawls 28 will'be in engagement with the ratchet teeth 16V and the sleeve 12 will be locked against rotation in the housing 10 and thus no ratcheting eifect can be obtained.

If the shifting collar, however, is rotated to the right in Fig.; 4, the two flanges 31 will slide between the two righthanded pawls 28 and the ratchet teeth 16 to prevent the pawls from engaging the ratchet teeth. If the 'housing 1Q is' now reciprocally rotated relative to `the socket sleeve 12, the latter will be intermittently rotated to the left. If the shifting collar 11 is now moved to the left in Fig. 4,

it acts to bring .the flanges 31 between the right-hand pawls- 28 and the ratchet teeth 16 so that reciprocal rotation of the barrel 10 will intermittently rotate the socket sleeve 12.t,othe left.

The shifting collar 11 is restrained in either the right,

left...or` locked positions by means of a click ball-33 mounted in a diametric ball socket 34 formed in the hub- The ball 33 is constantly.

portion 32 of the collar 11. urged against theV socket sleeveA 12 byv means of a suitable compressionspring 35. Three ball-receiving pockets are '=indented vintov the socket sleeve 12, namely, a locking pocket 36,' a right-hand pocket 37, anda left-hand pocket 38. A bore 40 in the wall of the hub portion is formed by the drill which is used to drill the ball socket 34.

As the shifting collar 11 is moved to each of its three positions, the ball 33 will enter the respective pocket corresponding to that position and retain the collar in its set position.v The right and left-hand pockets are formed with. relatively Straight. terminal. walls.. beyond. which the ball cannot pass to limit the extreme movements of the shifting collard The adjacent Walls, however, are,inclinf;d,so that'manualiroitionjof` they shift-1. 5 ins Cellar.; fffldil-yrfoaes, i the. balli. -frnm 4the.rockets. do allow the sleeve to be freely turned to any desiredpsir.. tion.

It isdesired torcall attention to ,the fact that;,two-Qf the pawls 2Ltwtill alwaysbeacting againsttthe ratciauetl 10 teeth. l@ regardless-ot whichjdirectionthe housing-10... is rotated and regardless `in which of`the,pocktst;L 37j. or 38,the` ball kgisengageda It:is,aisoidesiredntoecallfL attention l.to the fact that ;the thrustV4 ofereachapawLJ-isodis-L tributed throughout the` .entire A`lengtirr. of that shaftfbear 15 ing portions 25 oi the:y cavities in, ,thefrim'` 2;isci. thatr all bendingior, distorting stressesY onf, the`l` navi/.1;` shafts. are elimiatsd.

While, `21; i Specific form; cfuV the.. improvement! has been.`

against the inner wall of said housing to maintain said j collar. concentric. therinameans. retaining. Said hub .porr

eircurnferentially to a position between the ratchet-teeth.

and'. either'the left-.handed or the right-handed pawls to prevent the pawls ofeither desired hand from engaging said ratchet teeth.

3. A socket wrench adapter; asA described in claim 2, said anges having an arcuate circumferential length slightly less than the distance between adjacent pawls so that when said flanges are in a position intermediate said pawls; the-pawlsotboth hands will be free to simulimg said hub portion vin `said housing. and. means omsaid v describc'dgandj illllt,ratedherein,4 it: is Yto `bei understood. 20 taneouslwengage said ratchet'teeth. n thatr4 thes arne,may bei varietL; withinf, the s scope.of the..` 4. Atsocket wrench adapter. as described in claim-3v appended claims,without.,departingfromithe spiritioftthe;l and. having; rneansffor.. retaining said shiftlng. collar, im

invention.n eithe11vtheright, 1eft, orintermcdiate positions.

Hai/ing; thLLS; described thed inventionr-what ,lis .-claimed, 5. A ratchet adapterforsocket wrenches comprising: and deSred5e.cu1:cd=-by-.Letters.Patentnist 25 an., inverted, cupi-shaped, 'cylindrical housing having. a

closed top andianpenebottom; aY` wrench-receiving stud l.v A socltebwreneh.ladaptercomprisingr acuprshaped projecting. npwardfrom. said.,top; :in mternai, annular.

housing :having-.a.c.1osedj andan open,extremity;` awvpenehreceiving. stud ,concentiica1ly-project-ing fromthe closed: bandpofdoubleractingtratchei clrfofmd .Wihncsaid extremityjojsaid housing; an annular;series,oiiniemalp` housing; a; tulrular'wrcnchif socketsleeve, ccncentrically. double-acting ratchet teeth formed in.-saic l,=.housing; n.30 positioned within said housing andprojeeting downwardly tubular:SQCkeL-receivngrsleeve concentrcallymounted.sin,. from;thm-Opennbottomof said. housing; anenlargednrim saidhousing-and havinga.protrudingextremity..extend formedlinisad ,sleeve in,` spaced-relation to` and within ing through the open extremity. of said ihousing; an en saidibandtolrteeth;aishifting collar rotatablyfsurrounding. largedannular rimsurmunding said..s1eeve.withinsaid saidsleeve withinsaid hllsineand'pmictinedownwardly-- housing within said annular series,ofirathepteeth;y 3:35 thronghfthcsopcn bottom of tl.\e;1atterA and formingy a plurality. of swinging pawls mounted in said rim andy bearing bushngfornsaidsleeve; anenlarged circular hubadapted 'to engage,` saidratchet. teeth, eachaofsaid pawls portioniformed; on theupperextremity of saidcollar projectingina ,tangentialo direction-oppositetoits. twovv withinsaidghousingand'icontacting. the inner wall of adjacent` pawls lsothat they will benalternatelyf rightiandn said housing and acting to maintain said sleeve concentric., leftl handed;resi1ient `means urging saidpawlgimoten-. t0 therein; means partially closing the ope1'ibottornl oisaid gagemiht with;.said`ratchet teeth; a .tubularshiftingcol hllsllgtarldiiacting 10;maintain:Said hub-Portion helen; lar surrounding saidasocket sleeve and forming..a-.supa pair of oppositely positioned left-hand pawls hingedly, portingibearing fontheiprotruding extremity thereof,L said moundrlfid Ulm.; `il Pisrof OPPOSlY Positioned fightcollar extendingfrom the openiextremityofsaidhousinghand pawls hingedly rnountedjn said.,rirn; intermediate.- aboutsaid vsleeve;avcitcular hubiportionfformed on-said`40 Said leftrhllilnPWlSiSPfingumeans -Ufgill al1- 0fV Said collarrandi bearingagainst the., inner .wallcxo `said housing.. pawls into engagement with said ratchet teeth; said-pawls tOi maintain i Said. collar concentric. thereinr. means retainprojecting; dnwnwarcllybelo\m saidi trim. towardssaid hubportion; and two arcuate, spaced-apartperipheraltiianges formed `oni and .projecting fupwardiyvfromasaid. hubfportion and acting to space said'rinnrtrom saidnhub-porttion, eachnol1saididiailgtzs;beingi normally` positionedebetween the downwardlysprsiectingextremitiesof oppositehandedfi housing having aelosedandan open extremity;.a wrench* pawls'iiso/that byrotationicfisaid collar, Said angessmay receiving Stud concentrically vprojecting. from. the @10565: v be.; rotated toga position; betweeni-.thezratehetr teeth1-.a11d extremity of said housing; an-annular seriesof-tinternal; 55"`the vpawls of either hand as desired. j douhliczactine ratchet; teethi, formed inL I said.- housing-a 6.1,A:.ratehettadapterrasfdevscrihedfiin LclaimSfhavin4 a tubular sachetrecei.vings1eeveconcentricany..mountediinA beariwPQrhQmformed on;-.sai,.di sleeve;.above said irims.; Saidhchsns and having. a vprotruding(extremity extending.- andfa f bearingnseat formed.; imsaidf housing rotatably4 ref i through ,they open extremity of said housing;` a` enlarged ceving.'Said;lban1gzPOQBi-adfformnga;SUPPOILQI: annular .Arima Surrounding. ysaid sleeve; within saidfhOuSing.. thetupnenextnemity 1.0i, fsaidnsleeve, vSaid. .housing :forminov withinsaid annularnserics ofv ratchet teethg. apluralityroy aibearing:fortsaidncollar andad Willett:forming-'21,bcal'wA swingingpawlsmounted in -saidrimandfadapted toenr. ing for the lower extremity of said sleeve.

gage said ratchet teeth, each of said pawls proje'etingfin a tangential-,direction ,opposite to, its. tWo,-adjacent:.-pawls SQeT-llii'ifhCM- fwill :be n.alternately...right',A and :fleft handed?. 65'

hub; portion adapted when. the latterhisnrotatedno pass--y between--jccrt21n of said-spawls andnsaid zhousing yso as;

toprevent thelattel pawls from engaging said. teetht 2.1A1socket.,wrench4 adapter comprising: a cup-shaped@ Refelfelleelfcitednfthe lg-.of.-fthis UNFEDTSTATES' PATEN. ,TS i 

